Modern vehicles may employ various methods for vehicle owners to gain entry to their vehicles and also to start their vehicles. One such method of gaining access to and starting a vehicle is by using an electronic key fob. Such electronic key fobs generally provide access to a vehicle when a user presses a button on the fob to unlock a door(s). Such fobs may also have a traditional metal key protruding from the fob which inserts into an ignition component that, when turned, starts a vehicle engine. While such electronic key fobs have proven satisfactory for their purposes, each is associated with its share of limitations.
One such limitation of current vehicle key systems occurs when a vehicle operator desires to use a valet to park his or her vehicle while at a restaurant. More specifically, the valet usually takes the key fob from the driver which not only permits the valet to start the car, but also provides the valet with access to the various interior compartments of the vehicle, such as a center console and glove compartment. Another limitation of current vehicle key systems is that while some vehicle manufacturers offer a valet key separate from the electronic key fob, a vehicle operator must remember that he or she wants to use valet parking and remember to bring the separate valet key. Still yet, actually finding a seldom used, separate valet key may be inconvenient, frustrating and time consuming for a vehicle operator.
A further limitation of current key systems is that when a key fob is provided to a valet, a vehicle operator's entire ring of keys, including house keys, is commonly provided to a valet, or time is spent removing such excess keys for a ring on the fob. This presents an opportunity for a valet to copy significant keys of the operator and is also a burden to the valet who must find a place for a bulky and heavy ring of keys. Finally, many electronic key fobs that are used by a valet have no hole or device by which to hang or store the key fob while in the valet's possession.
What is needed then is a device that does not suffer from the above limitations. This, in turn, will provide a device that: possesses a valet key yet limits access to vehicle interior compartments; permits a valet to quickly and easily handle just one key; permits a valet with a method to hang the valet key; is aesthetically pleasing, relatively lightweight, and appear as if only one fob or key is present when in fact more than one are present; provides a way for an operator to very quickly detach a single vehicle access and engine operation key from the balance of an owner's keys.